Irish LCC Ryanair has been granted a UK air operator’s certificate (AOC) and has registered its first aircraft in the country as European carriers move to shore up their post-Brexit operations ahead of the UK’s planned departure from the European Union (EU) in March.

The AOC granted by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will allow Ryanair “to operate UK domestic and UK to non-EU routes in a post-Brexit environment, if necessary,” the airline said Jan. 3.

“The risk of a no-deal Brexit in March is rising, and despite our robust post-Brexit structures, including our post-Brexit plan around European ownership, we continue to call for the UK and EU to agree a transition deal from 31 March 2019, so that any disruption to flights and British consumer summer holidays in 2019 can be avoided,” Ryanair said.

The UK CAA’s website shows that a Boeing 737-800 previously registered in Ireland as EI-FEF was re-registered to Ryanair UK as G-RUKA on Dec. 20.